Armenian president wins second term

ARMENIAN President Serzh Sarkisian has celebrated a crushing victory in elections for a second five-year mandate but his rival alleges violations and observers say the polls lacked competition.

Sarkisian, a shrewd former military officer in power since 2008, won Monday's polls in the small ex-Soviet state nestled in the Caucasus mountains between Turkey and Iran with 58.64 per cent of the votes.

His nearest rival, former foreign minister Raffi Hovannisian trailed in a distant second place with 36.75 per cent of votes, the central election commission said after counting results from all precincts.

"These elections have again shown that the Armenian people can unite and take the right decision at the most important moments," Sarkisian told supporters at his campaign headquarters on Tuesday.

"I am proud and hope that all who did not vote for me understand the choice of the majority and we develop the country under a stable situation," he said.

Hovannisian's camp alleged a range of sometimes bizarre electoral violations, including the use of "disappearing ink" to allow multiple voting.

"These were shameful elections with a huge number of violations," said Hovannisian's spokesman Hovsep Khurshudian.

Hovannisian said Sarkisian should acknowledge the elections were a victory not for him but for the Armenian people.

"The people were victorious by making clear their will in the elections," he told reporters during the count.

Observers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly said the elections were an improvement on past polls but lacked genuine competition.

"Competition is critical if Armenia is going to live up to the aspirations of its people for a vibrant and engaging democracy," said Tonino Picula, the head of the mission."

The observers said the voting process was well organised but confirmed the inking of passports "did not provide the intended safeguard against multiple voting as the ink could easily be wiped off."

The authorities had been hoping for a peaceful and internationally-praised process that would improve the country's chances of European integration.